It is Preakness Stakes time, and our focus turns to the interim location for the second jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Laurel Park, rather than Pimlico, hosts the Preakness week activities, and extensive race cards on Friday and Saturday will present ample chances to place bets on promising longshots.
Our selections for Kentucky Derby weekend a couple of weeks ago yielded good results, with that segment successfully identifying Longines Kentucky Oaks champion Always a Runner. Similar to that piece, this article spotlights two horses for both Friday and Saturday’s races that are good candidates to outperform their expected odds. Let’s examine them…
FRIDAY
Laurel Park, Event 9, $125,000 Hilltop Stakes, 3:54 PM ET
#6 Unmiztaken (Initial odds 10-1)
This contest is largely defined by the comeback of #2 Ultimate Love, but while I respect her abilities, I will be wagering against her. She has not raced since October, and though she is clearly the one to beat, the projected race dynamics do not favor her late-closing style. At her anticipated odds, I cannot endorse her.
#6 Unmiztaken, in contrast, makes her second start after a layoff for conditioner Keri Brion, and her 2026 debut was quite strong, securing second place by covering significant ground late after rating behind a sluggish early tempo. She displayed early speed last year as a two-year-old, and I expect her to be positioned on or near the front in this scenario given the likely pace. The inclusion of jockey Jose Ortiz undoubtedly assists her chances.
I am uncertain if we will see the opening 10-1 odds for Unmiztaken by the time of the race, but a more probable 6-1 or so still represents excellent value. She is a logical candidate for improvement, and if she delivers, I believe she possesses a strong opportunity.
Laurel Park, Event 11, $100,000 The Very One Stakes, 5:02 PM ET
#6 Somnium (15-1)
Just as in the Hilltop, I am opposing a heavy favorite. #5 Saturday Flirt performed very well last year, but she showed no effort in her seasonal reappearance. Perhaps she needed the race, but it was a very uninspiring effort. It’s possible she simply isn’t the same horse she was last year as a three-year-old.
#6 Somnium comes into this race following an impressive winning move against allowance horses at Penn National in her most recent outing. Indeed, it was against lesser competition, but she also exhibited previous class in 2025. Her sole venture into stakes company was a creditable one, finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Glen Cove Stakes after executing a strong mid-race surge and encountering some interference.
Jockey Jose Ortiz is also aboard here, and the horse and rider should have plenty of speed to pursue. If her Penn National form holds up at Laurel, I think she could trigger a substantial payoff.
SATURDAY
Laurel Park, Event 8, $150,000 Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Stakes, 2:48 PM ET
#8 Slam Notion (5-1)
This is a pace-dependent wager for me. Most of the nine contenders in this race aim to be positioned at or near the lead, and this field features some swift sprinters with significant acceleration. I desire a horse that has demonstrated an ability to pass competitors, and #8 Slam Notion meets this criterion.
His performance in the General George Stakes last time out was not inspiring, but his victories two and three starts ago were extremely sharp. He should secure a similar winning trip in this contest. Furthermore, unlike many others in this field, he has shown he does not require Lasix to perform at his best, so that aspect will not hinder him as severely as it might impact others. The faster the early pace, the better his prospects will be for an upset.
Laurel Park, Event 13, $2 Million Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, 7:01 PM ET
#8 Bull by the Horns (30-1)
We will conclude with a longshot in the marquee event, and this selection is a bold one. I respect horses such as #9 Iron Honor and #12 Incredibolt, and I will be including both, but I believe there are multiple reasons to be… well, optimistic… about the Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee #8 Bull by the Horns.
Bull by the Horns did not perform well two races back in the Grade 2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes, but if you disregard that particular race, you have a closer who has otherwise done little wrong. He defeated a respectable field in the $245,000 Rushaway Stakes most recently, a group that included Trendsetter, who subsequently won the Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes and then finished third in the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes. He is expected to encounter similar race dynamics on Saturday as he did in the Rushaway, and he has been working exceptionally well in preparation for this race at Gulfstream Park. The Preakness will be a significant step up in class, and he may need to improve to be a factor in the outcome; however, he appears to be a horse on an upward curve who is likely to benefit from the pace circumstances needed for a longshot upset. A considerable amount of early speed is anticipated in the Preakness, which should create advantageous conditions for closers.
